Many manufacturers thought they were prepared for any challenge that came their way…and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In 2020, just 13% of manufacturers said their supply chain was able to adapt with no issues during the pandemic, according to Statista. Some plants were forced to halt production while waiting for delayed materials, and others failed to keep up with increasing demand. The businesses that were able to quickly pivot to different schedules, products, or raw material suppliers earned a huge competitive advantage last year.
There are countless aspects of manufacturing plants are already inflexible – there are regulations that must be followed, limitations on how equipment can be used, and critical employees needed on site to perform their jobs. With so many constraints that cannot adapt, it’s important to make the most of the areas that do allow for flexibility. Below, we’ll go through our best tips for manufacturers to add value through adaptability.
Monitor the Market
In order for your plant to adapt to changes, you must have a thorough understanding of what’s going on in the industry and the wider world around you. Before March of last year, the toilet paper industry had likely never imagined a healthcare issue would affect their supply chain so severely. Having a pulse on new innovations or developing situations will give you more time to think through any needed adjustments and adapt to the changes before they catch you off guard. To keep up with the news, start by dedicating a small portion of your day to monitoring the market, checking in with suppliers, and analyzing customer data for emerging trends. This effort does not have to be time-consuming, but it will help your business function more proactively and keep a leg up on the competition.
Consult Employees
Your employees are your number one resource for discovering the triumphs and pain points of everyday life at the plant. Asking for your team’s feedback will give you a clearer picture of which processes need improvements and where you should start looking for more adaptable solutions. You might start by asking employees in your department about their experiences, especially their biggest challenges through the pandemic, to gain their perspective in a more conversational setting. If you want to dig deeper, consider setting up a formal review system to give employees across your organization the opportunity to share their thoughts and recommendations. Then, prioritize adapting to their most-cited pain points going forward.
Implement Helpful Tools
In an environment of uncertainty, give your employees the tools they need to make their work more efficient and precise. If your team frequently spends their time performing laborious or tedious tasks, arm them with technological tools that will help them identify problems more quickly. Using software for smaller, time-consuming tasks will ensure all outcomes are accurate and allow employees to spend more time finding solutions to obstacles down the road. Even though you’re automating more processes, your team will retain overall control and be able to make manual adjustments as necessary.
Prepare for Schedule Changes
The ultimate success in manufacturing adaptability comes from the ability to shift production to reflect changing conditions in real time. If you are able to switch product lines or swap out raw materials without a significant delay, your plant will be well-positioned to weather most crises. However, attempting to make major adjustments manually often results in bottlenecks or eventual increased downtime, which means your processes aren’t adapting efficiently. Plus, if you don’t have data to back up your decisions, it can be difficult to justify taking a risk into the unknown.
Advanced planning and scheduling software can allow your plant to make production adjustments quickly and easily. This software creates a detailed model of your plant and automatically performs calculations to help you find efficient production schedules, even when you’re facing unstable conditions. If you find yourself dealing with resource shortages, dips in demand or other disruptions, these tools can readjust your schedule accordingly in minutes.
We’ve spent more than 25 years developing VirtECS, our own advanced planning and scheduling software solution. VirtECS can provide the tools your plant needs to customize its production schedule adaptive, real-time, or ahead-of-time fashion. With a schedule produced by VirtECS, you can move forward with confidence that it can be executed in your unique plant, and that it can be updated or modified as needed to deal with any uncertainties. If you’re interested in finding out how to implement VirtECS into your manufacturing facility, click here to download our whitepaper.
